August 2017 News

Lucknow: Incidents of stone-throwing have reduced in Jammu and Kashmir due to the role of the counter-terror agency, National Investigation Agency or NIA, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today. He said the incidents of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have also seen a downward trend in the last three years. 'You have seen role of the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir, where incidents of stone-throwing have come down. We have taken pledge for India's security and strict action is being taken for this. We will accept challenges and in the past three years, incident of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have seen a downward trend,' he said. Mr Singh was speaking after inaugurating the office and residential complex of the NIA in Lucknow. 'We will win over naxalism, terrorism and extremism. In the past three years, extremism has come down by 75 per cent in the northeast and naxalism has come down by 35-40 per cent,' Mr Singh said. Emphasising on 'finishing terror funding sources', he said, 'If we plug sources of fake currency and terror funding, it will be a big blow to terrorism. NIA is doing a great job here. Its name sends fear down the spine of those indulging in terror funding.' On the occasion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath suggested holding of a meeting every six months between the NIA and state agencies. Responding to his suggestion, Mr Singh said, 'Without better coordination, there can be no success. It's a continuous process of sharing informations.' The Home Minister said that Lucknow office and residential complex of the NIA was the first in the country and stated that it was a 'positive indication that a 'Yogi' (UP Chief Minister) is present in the function'. He said the NIA was probing 165 cases and due to its 'scientific probe there is an approximately 95 per cent conviction rate.' Mr Singh said the NIA has established itself as a credible investigating agency. The Home Minister said the complex was completed by state-owned NBCC within 18 months against 24 months and the Lucknow unit of NIA was probing 20 cases of terror activities, including blast cases in Patna, Bodh Gaya (both in Bihar) and Bijnor and Kanpur ISIS module cases.